Clothes-line support.



C. E. NILES.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1|, 1915.

1,217.336. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m: mmms wsrsns m4. Iuurmurnm. wunmumu. u

C. E. NILES.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION HLED 050.11. 1915.

avwewto'o Patented Feb-27,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 thromb TTNTTFE $13 rte CLOTHES-LINESUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 11, 1915. Serial No. 66,333.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, CrmnLns E. NILEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fargo, in tie county of Cass and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Supports, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to clothes line supports and has more particularly to do with improvements in the structure disclosed in my application for supporting hooks, filed Jan. 27,, 1915 Serial No. 725, whereby the structure thereof is simplified and adapted for the purpose indicated.

The invention has as its primary object to provide a support wherein a clothes line may be easily adjusted vertically or the sup port to bring the line within easy reach or to lift the line for drying clothes.

The invention has as a further object to provide an improved locking means for holding the clothes line at adjustment and wherein the said locking means will be-automatic in its operation.

ii further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of standard or upright for the support and wherein the said standard will be thoroughly braced against the tension thereon exerted by the weight of the clothes line.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a construction wherein friction between thesupporting member and the standard will be reduced to a minimum that the said member may be easily shitted vertically of the standard to adjust the clothes line.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds and in the drawin wherein l' have illustrated the preferred embodiment oi the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of my improved supports with a clothes line arranged in operative position therebetween 2 is a longitudinal sectional view more particularly showing the construction and mounting of the support,

Fig. 8 is ZL-JGIZLHSVQISG sectional view particularly illustrating the mounting of the locking levers for holding the supporting iember at adjustment upon the standard or casing of the device,

Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 3, and particularly showing the mounting of the antitriction devices carried by the supporting member and arranged to engage the casing so that'the supporting member will slide ii'reely therein,

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the supporting member particularly illustrating the construction oi the coacting locking members or levers carried thereby, as well as the manner in which the said member is formed to receive a cross arm for the clothes line,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a slightly modified construction of standard or casing, and 7 Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the casing illustrated in Fig. 6 is formed at its lower extremity to engage within the base for the standard.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a tubular casing or standard '10 which may be formed of suitable sheet metal and is open at its ends. Extending longitudinally of the casing, upon one side thereof, is a slot 11 which is continuous throughout the length of the casing. Fitted into the lower extremity of the casing, is a removable core 12 and the adjacent end of the casing is sunk within asuitable base 13, as more particularly shown in Fig; 2. This base is preferably formed of concrete and is adapted to hold the casing or standard in upright position. [it the lower extremity of the casing, the end edge thereof upon its side opposite the slot 11 notched to receive-the adjacent terminal of a truss rod or member 14, the

lower end of which is bent to engage within the casing and is received within a suitable notch formed in the lower terminal of the core 12. The truss rod 1 1 adjacent its'lower extremity, is carried over the outer end oi a truss bar 15 extending laterally from the lower extremity of the casing and embed ded within the base 13, and at its upper ex tremity is provided with a laterally directed terminal 16, which engages within a suitable notch formed in the upper end edge of the casing and extends through the slot 11 to receive a nut 17 connecting the upper extremity of the rod with the casing. The rod 14 is thus adapted to eiiiciently brace the casing longitudinally. Closing the upper end of the casing is a cap 18 which is provided with a reduced portion seating within the casingand having a transversely ex- Patented Feb. 27, ieivf tending groove formed therein which freely receives the terminal of the rod Ll. By properly adjusting the nut 17, the upper end of the casing may he clamped about the rcduced portion of the cap tightly hold the cap in position.

Freely mounted within the casing 10 is a vertically adjustable supporting member which includes a body portion 19 having longitudinally spaced recesses 20 formed in one side thereof. Communicating with the recesses at their inner ends, are reduced openings 2l which enter through the body portion upon the side thereof opposite the said recesses. At its upper extremity, the body portion 19 is provided with a screw threaded here which detachably receives an arm or extension 22 and screw threaded upon the upper end of this arm is a cap 23. 'llxtending laterally from the cap upon one side thereof, are longitudinally spaced ears 24L- which project freely through the slot 11 of the casing and are laterally enlarged at their outer extremities to removably receive a cross arm 25, pivotally supported between the cars by a suitable pin 25 extending through the said arm.

Arranged between the ears 23, at their inner extremities, is an anti-friction device or roller 26 as more particularly shown in Fig. 4:, this roller being received within a suitable recess formed in the adjacent side of the cap 23 and provided with trunnions 'rotatabl su )ortin the roller to extend l P s transversely across the slot 11 and confront the adjacent inner side of the asing, the roller being adapted to support the adjacent side of the cap in spaced relation to the casing. The body portion 19 is also provided with a similar roller 27 which is arranged to confront the side of the casing opposite the roller 26 and is adapted to support the adjacent extremity of the body portion in spaced relation to the casing. The particular function of these rollers will later be more fully brought out.

Mounted. upon the body portion 19 of the supporting member are coacting locking members or levers 28 which are shown in detail in Fig. 5. These levers, at their outer extremities are formed to provide suitable handles and at their inner extremities are reduced to extend within the recesses 20 of the body portion 19 and freely fit through the openings2l. The reduced portions of the levers are provided with reversely curved confronting cam faces 29 to rock within the said recesses and openings. Formed on opposite sides of the reduced portions of the levers are substantially V-shaped pivot lugs 00 having their pointed ends presented inwardly to seat against the bottom walls of the recesses 20 upon opposite sides of the adjacent inner terminals of the openings 21 to engage the said walls and pivotally support the levers 28 for rocking movement thereon relative to each other. The pivot lugs 30 are arranged in spaced rcation to the inner terminals of the handles of the levers to define in connection therewith oppositely disposed pairs of coacting shoulders 31 and 32 respectively, one pair of shoulders being arranged upon each side of the said levers.

It will now be observed upon reference to Fig. that the reduced portions of the levers 28 project freely through the slot 11 of the casing with the edges of the casing at the said slot freely received between the shoulders 31. and 32 of the said levers and with the shoulders confronting the inner and outer faces of the casing. lnterposed between the lever is a spring 33 normally adapted to urge the outer ends of the levers away from each other which in turn will cause the said levers to pivot upon the lugs 30 and assume a position with the coacting shoulders 31 and 32 thereof in frictional engagement with the margins of the casing at the slot ll, this being the normal position of the levers.

As will, of course, be clear, weight upon the cross arm 25 will tend to shift the supporting member downwardly within the easingj Such downward stress will be commu nicated to the uppermost of the levers 28 and tend to pivot'the said lever upon its lugs 30 for moving the coacting shoulders of the lever into binding contact with the casing. Consequently, as weight upon the cross arm 25 is increased, the more forcibly will be the uppermost locking lever 28 be urged to engage the casing for holding the supporting member in fixed position upon the casing to support the cross arm. Upward stress upon the supporting member will in like manner tend to pivot the lowermost locking lever 28 upon its pivot lugs 30 to move the coacting shoulders thereof into binding contact with the margin of the casing at the slot 11 for holding the supporting member against upward shifting movement fixed within the casing. The levers 28 are therefore adapted to normally engage the casing for holding the supporting member at adjustment thereon. By manually shifting the uppermost locking lever to inactive position, the sup porting member may be lowered within the casing when the shoulders of the lowermost locking leverwill slide over the margins of the casing at the slot 11 and by shifting t in lowermost locking lever to inactive position, the supporting member may be raised within the casing when the shoulders of the uppermost locking lever will slide over the edges of the casing at the said slot. However, if found more convenient, both of the levers may be simultaneously grasped and shifted to inoperative position for adjusting the supporting member upon the casing and upon release of the said levers, the spring 33 will then automatically act to move the levers again into engagement with the casing for holding the supporting member fixed.

Arranged within the casing and bearing between the core 12 and the lower extremity of the body portion 19 of the supporting member is a helical spring 34: normally exerting a tension upon the supporting member to shift it upwardly within the casing. This spring will materially assist in elevating the supporting member to raise the cross arm 25. It will therefore be seen that the supporting member may consequently be easily positioned vertically of the casing and for guiding the body portion 19 of the said supporting member within the easing, said body portion between the recesses 20 thereof is preferably provided with an extension which projects through the slot 11 of the casing, andis provided upon opposite edges with grooves to slidably re-.

ceive the edges of the casing at the said slot.

In Fig. l of the drawings, I have shown a pair f my improved supports arranged in spaced relation with a clothes line 36 stretched between the cross arms thereof, a clothes line being the general term used for the several strands connected in parallel spaced relation to the said element. As will be seen, said clothes line may be readily adjusted downwardly upon the supports by properly manipulating the levers 28 so that clothes may be easily attached to the line when the cross arms 25 may then be again elevated to support the clothes in position where they will quickly dry. The particular purpose of the truss rods 10 will now more clearly appear, since it will be seen that these rods will embrace the support against the weight of the clothes line or any tension thereon tendin to pull the upper ends of the support inwardly. The purpose of the rollers 26 and 27 will now also become apparent since it will be seen that tension upon the clothes line 36 will tend to fulcrum the supporting members within the casinglOwith their upper extremities each bearing against the casings upon one side and with their lower extremities each bearing against the casings upon their opposite sides. The rollers 26 and 27, it will be observed are so arranged as to overcome this tendency of the supporting members and will engage the casings so that the supporting members may be easily adjusted vertically therein.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slight modification in the construction of the support which relates more particularly to the formation of the casing or standard therefor. In this modification, the casing 37 is formed of semi-circular mating sections each having a radial wing or flange 38 projecting from one side there of. These wings extend from end to end of the sections and taper longitudinally thereof, being widened as they approach the lower ends of the sections. When the sections of the casings are assembled, the flanges 38 seat flatly against each other and may be connected in any suitable manner as by a series of longitudinally spaced rivets or other fastening devices 39, it being understood, of course, that the sections of the casing 37 are formed to provide a slot upon the side thereof opposite to the said flanges similar to the slot 11 of the preferred construction of the invention. Adjacent their lower extremities, the flanges 38 are bent to provide oppositely directed lateral terminals 40 which, when seated within a plastic base will effectually engage therein to hold the casing 37 in an upright position, the flanges 38 then acting as a truss member to brace the casing longitudinally and dis pensing with the necessity for the use of a brace rod similar to the rod 1% of the construction previously described. Otherwise, this modified form of the invention is in accordance with the preferred construction and a further description thereof is consequently deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally of the standard, and coacting opposed locking members free with respect to the supporting member and loosely connected thereto with the said locking members shiftable to engage the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

2. A device of the character described including 'a hollow standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof, and a locking member loosely connected to the supporting member and shiftable to engage the inner and outer faces of the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

3. A device of the, character described including a hollow standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof, and locking member loosely mounted upon the supporting member, said locking member being provided with shoulders confronting the inner and outer faces of the standard for retaining the locking member in operative position upon the supporting member and being movable to enga c said shoulders with the standard for holdlng the supporting member at adjustment.

4:. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with an opening, and a locking mem ber loosely fitted in said opening and abutting a wall thereo'l to be pivotally supported by the said wall to engage the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

5. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with an opening, and a locking mem her free with respect to the supporting member and extending loosely through said open ing to rock therein, the locking member being movable within said opening to coaot with the standard for holding the support ing member at adjustment.

.6. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with a recess having an opening com municating therewith, and-a locking member extending through said opening and provided with pivot lugs engaging in said recess, the locking member being movable upon the said lugs to coact with the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

7. A device of the character described including a hollow standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof, anti-friction devices arranged upon opposite sides of the supporting member and con fronting opposite inner faces of the standard to engage therewith with the said anti-fi-iction devices housed within the standard, and means for holding the supporting member at adjustment. 2

8. A device of the character described including slotted standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and including a body having a cap connected. thereto, spaced ears carried by the cap to project through said slot, a cross arm pivoted betwen said ears and adapted to receive a clothes line, and means for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

9. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with an opening, and a locking memher free with respect to the supporting mem her and having its inner extremity freely fitted in said opening and engaged by the standard for retaining the locking member in operative position upon the supporting member, the locking member being shittable to coaot with the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

10. A device of the character described including a slotted standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally of the standard, and a locking member having its inner extremity loosely connected to the supporting member with the said supporting member projecting through said slot and shiftable to coact with the adjacent edges of the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

11. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member a lj ustable longitudinally thereof and provided. with an opening, and a locking member tree with respect to the supporting member and having its inner extremity loosely fitted into said opening with the said locking member shittable to engage the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

12. A device of the character described in cluding a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with a recess, and a locking member having lugs pivotally engaging a wall or said recess and supporting the said locking member to engage the standard and shiftable to engage a standard cooperating with the body of the locking member for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

13. A device of the character described including a standard, a supporting member adjustable longitudinally thereof, and a locking member having confronting shoul ders with one of said shoulders providing a lug pivotally supporting the said locking member upon the supporting member for movement to engage the shoulders with the standard for holding the supporting member at adjustment.

14. A device of the character described including a hollow standard formed of mating sections having laterally directed wings extending longitudinally thereof and coacting to provide a brace member for the standard, laterally projecting anchoring members carried by the said Wings at their lower eX- tremities, and a supporting member mounted within the standard and adjustable longi tudinally thereof.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

CHARLES E. NILES. [Ls] Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

